Lever means for leveling hearse bodies



May 7, 1935. w. H. HEISE LEVER MEANS FOR LEVELING HEARSE BODIES Filed June 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 7, 1935. w. H. HEISE LEVER MEANS FOR LEVELING' HEARSE BODIES Filed June 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o 32 s a 37' 4 7 4 6 56 o 4/ 42 43 44 I 5 I 7 29 L mlp l Ln" 0 In x HI fl69 67 Y f/vrt/vroxa:

H are,

n L W4 Patented May 7, 1935 UNITED STATES LEVER MEANS FOR BOD LEVELING HEARSE IES William H. Heise, Los Angeles, Calif., assignmto Big Rockltanch Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 12, 1929, Serial No. 370,430

-6 Claims.

This invention relates to means for leveling the coiiin receiving member of a hearse and is particularly adapted to use with the side-opening type of hearse having a platform adapted to be swung outwardly from one side of the vehicle.

Owing to the slope of the road surface adjacent the curbing of a crowned street, the body of a vehicle standing at such side of the street slopes in accordance with the surface on which it rests. When a side-opening hearse is standing in this sloping position, the swingable platform when projected over the sidewalk is ordinarily inclined to a horizontal plane and to the surface of the sidewalk adjacent the curb. It is diflicult to load a horizontally carried cofiin onto an inclined coflin platform for the reason that the. front end of a coflln carried in level position will contact the top of the cofiin platform and prevent it from being freely moved into position on the platform, making it necessary to raise the front end of the coflin and lower the rear end in order to bring the coffin to substantially the inclination of the platform. The delay, disturbance, and confusion resulting therefrom is objectionable during a funeral as it tends to mar the solemnity of the occasion.

It is an object of the invention to provide in a vehicle, such as a hearse, a platform or loadreceiving element onto whichthe article or articles to be carried may be loaded, and means for leveling the load-receiving element or structure to substantially horizontal position regardless of the inclination of the road surface upon which the vehicle is standing.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple and efiicient device which may be employed with a vehicle and which will operate in such a manner that the chassis or body of the vehicle may be tilted laterally with respect to the sloping road surface adjacent the curb of a sidewalk, thereby making it possible to bring the body of the vehicle into a level position, and where the invention is employed with a hearse, to enable the leveling of the coflin receiving platform. The invention includes means, operative from the chassis of the vehicle, adapted to engage the axle structure in such a manner that one side of the vehicle may be lifted and the other side thereof depressed, with a result of leveling the body of the vehicle or other parts carried thereby when the vehicle is standing on the sloping street surface adjacent the curb.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel system of levers for accomplishing the raising and lowering action prescribed in the preceding paragraph, and to incorporate therewith a simple apparatus for actuating these levers to accomplish the specified results.

. Further objects and advantages will appear throughout the following part of the specification. 5

Referring to the drawings, which are of-simple diagrammatic nature and for illustrative purposes only:

Fig, 1 is a diagrammatic, sectioned plan view showing simply the body of a side-opening hearse having a projectable platform therein.

Fig. 2 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 1, showing the coffin receiving platform in extended position.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on a plane represented by the line 33 of Fig. 2, 'indi'cating in simple form a vehicle, the chassis of which has been leveled, standing on a sloping road surface adjacent a sidewalk.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the rear end of a vehicle chassis with a preferred form of mechanism forming part of the present invention. I

Fig. 5 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken substantially as indicated by the line 66 of Fig. 5. j

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary .detailtshowing an alternative form of pulling mechanism which may be employed in the practice of the invention.

Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings show a hearse body I0 having a side-opening II and a platform l2 adapted to be swung from'the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 to the projected position in which it is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. 35

This platform I2 is preferably a substantially flat member having a flanged pin I3 projecting downwardly therefrom into a slot H in the floor l5 of the vehicle body 10, enabling the movemerit and the support of the platform 12 between the positions indicated. In Fig. 3 the platform is shown projecting over a sidewalk it having a curb I1 and is shown as being substantially level or parallel to the surface of the sidewalk l6. As a result of the present common practice of crowning the streets, that portion of the road surface -I8 adjacent the curb l1 slopes downwardly toas shown in Fig. 3, it is necessary that the right side of, the chassis 20, and likewise the right side of 1 the body, be raised relative to, the axle structure l9 and road surface l8 and it is also desirable at the same time to lower the leftward side of the chassis 20 and body structure l supported thereon in order that the tilting of the chassis relative to the road surface and the axle l9 may be accomplished with a minimum movement of the two sides of the vehicle, and a minimum flexure of the vehicle springs.

The invention provides means for lifting the right-hand chassis frame member 22 and depressing the left-hand chassis frame member 23 so as to accomplish this desired tilting action which will bring the body of the vehicle to level position, thus determining a level position of the extended platform I2.

In Figs. 4 and an axle structure or means 24 is shown beneath the rearward portion of the chassis structure and the customary spring members 25 by which the chassis 20 is supported I from the axle structure 24. Wheels operative on the road surface are indicated at 25. Offset, preferably forwardly, with respect to the axle structure 24, a shaft 21 is supported in lateral position by fixtures 28. Near the right end 29 of the shaft 21 a lever 30 is placed so asvto swing vertically, this lever having a fork 3| at its end adapted to engage or partly surround the righthand diametrally reduced portion 32 of the axle structure 24. Near the left end 33 of the shaft 21 a second lever 34 is mounted having a vertical swingable fork 35 at the end thereof which engages the leftward reduced portion 36 of the axle structure 24. From the hub 31 of the lever 30 a crank arm 38 projects downwardly and from the hub 39 of the lever 34 a crank arm 40 projects upwardly. From a clevis 4| at the end of the crank arm 38 a cable 42 extends over a pulley 43, mounted on the frame member 22 by means of a bracket 44, over a puller pulley 45 held by a puller clevis 46, and over a pulley 41 mounted in a bracket 48 secured to the frame F member 23, to a clevis 49 attached to the upper and outer end of the crank arm 40- of the lever 34.

From the puller clevis 46 a cable 50 extends over a drum member 5| having a ratchet wheel 52 adapted to be engaged by an actuating pawl 53 mounted on an operating handle 54 whereby the drum member 5| may be rotated so as to wind the puller cable 50 thereon. A ratchet 55 forming part of the drum member 5| is engaged by a stop pawl 56 equipped with afoot-releasing pedal 51, enabling the releasing of the stop pawl when it is desired to allow the drum 5| to rotate in a direction to unwind the cable 50.

By manipulation of the handle or lever 54 the cable 50 may be wound on the drum member 5|, pulling forwardly on the puller clevis 46 with a result that the compensating cable loop 42 is placed under tension and the crank arms 38 and 40 thereby being pulled in forward direction. Owing to the fact that the crank arm 38 projects downwardly and the crank arm 40 projects upwardly, the lever 30 will be moved downwardly in the direction of the arrow 58 and the lever 34 will be rotated upwardly as indicated by the arrow 59, the resulting reactions at the hubs 31 and 39 of the respective levers 30 and 34 being to lift the frame member 22 as indicated by the arrow 60 and to depress the frame member 23 as indicated by thearrow 5|, with the result of tilting the chassis 20, the body I0, and the platform |2 in anti-clockwise direction as it is viewed in Fig. 3,

with a result of accomplishing a leveling of the platform I 2 in accordance with objects of the invention.

The degree of tilting or rotation of the vehicle super-structure and the platform |2 may be determined by the extent of movement transmitted to the levers 30 and 34 by the operating mechanism embodied in and with the drum member 5|; therefore, it is possible to readily adjust the platform |2 to level position irrespective of the slope of the road surface l8 on which the vehicle stands.

In Fig. 7 I show the puller pulley 45 and the clevis 46 attached to a screw 65 which extends through a rotary nut 66 having a gear 61 formed thereon whereby it may be engaged and rotated by a pinion 68 driven by a motor 69 or other power producing means. The screw 85 extends through blocks 10 and H and is engaged by a key, not shown, this key fitting into a spline formed in the screw to prevent its rotation. By rotation of the gear 51 the central nut portion Bl causes longitudinal movement of the screw in the direction determined by the direction of rotation of the motor, which may preferably be of the reversible type, thereby making it possible to expediently operate the leveling mechanism included in the present invention.

From the above it will be evident that the device of the present invention includes a lever disposed between one side of the frame and the axle and serving as an elevating means for elevating said one side of the frame relative to the axle, a second lever disposed between the other side of the frame and the axle and serving as a depressing means for depressing said other side of the frame relative to the axle, and a compensating connection between these two levers, operated by a single operating means and effective to insure a simultaneous operation of both levers, said levers operating in opposition to the respective springs between the body and the axle.

When the vehicle is conditioned for ordinary road travel the-pull cable 50 is released so as to free the frame and axle of restraint by the tilting mechanism, the compensating cable 42 at this time being loose so that it may freely see-saw" through the pulleys 43, 45 and 41 as relative automatic tilting and rebound of the frame and axle takes place during the normal travel of the vehicle. Thus, while the tilting mechanism is at all times connected to the frame and axle and is available for use to tilt the frame to a desired angle, its compensating connection permits the usual free automatic action of the spring suspension incident to road travel.

Although I have shown a simple and effective embodiment of my invention, I recognize that certain parts thereof are representative of other parts, elements, or structures which may be employed to function in an equivalent manner; therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is in no manner limited to the details of the disclosure, but that the scope thereof is as defined in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vehicle, the combination of: a wheeled structure; a frame; yielding suspension means supporting said frame on said wheeled structure so as to permit automatic movement of said frame relative to said wheeled structure under shocks, strains, and stresses incident to travel of said vehicle; a frame elevating lever operatively connecting one side of said frame and said wheeled structure; a frame depressing lever operatively connecting the opposite side of said frame and said wheeled structure, 'said elevating lever and said depressing lever being normally freely movable so as to permit said automatic movement of said. frame; and operating-means for simultaneously operating said elevating lever and said depressing lever in opposite directions to adjust the frame to a desired angle.

2. In a vehicle, the combination of: a wheeled structure; a frame; yielding suspension means supporting said frame on said wheeled structure so as to permit automatic movement of said frame relative to the said wheeled structure under shocks, strains, and stresses incident to travel of said vehicle; a frame elevating lever operatively connecting one side of said frame and said wheeled structure; a frame depressing lever operatively connecting the opposite side of said frame and said wheeled structure, said elevating lever and said depressing lever being normally freely movable so as to permit said automatic movement of said frame; compensating means connecting said elevating lever and said depressing lever and freely movable with said elevating lever and said depressing means to permit idle movement thereof during said automatic movement of the frame; and power means associated with and operating through said compensating means to simultaneously move said elevating lever and said depressing lever in opposite directions to adjust the frame to a desired angle.

3. In a vehicle, the combination of: a wheeled structure including an axle; a body; resilient supporting means at each end of said axle and supporting said body on said axle; a transverse bar parallel, to said axle; levers at each end of said bar pivoted to said bar and rotatable thereon, said levers being adapted to engage said axle; and means for rotating said levers in opposite directions on said bar so as to compress one of said resilient members and'to expand the other to tilt said body relative to said wheeled structure.

4. In a vehicle, the combination of: a body; a wheel at each side of said body; a resilient supporting means between each of said wheels and said body; a bar transverse of said body; levers pivoted to and rotatable on each end of said bar;

and means for rotating said levers in opposite directions so as to compress one of said resilient supporting means and to expand the other to tilt said body relative to said wheels.

5. In a vehicle, the combination of: a body adapted to support a load by presenting a surface upon which the load may be placed; an axle adapted to support a portion of said body by extending under said body; two springs, one on one side of said body and the other on the other side of said body, said springs being each adapted to provide a resilient support for said load by providing resilient connection between said body andsaid axle; a pair of levers situated on opposite sides of the center of the body-and adapted to act with or against said springs by exerting a force between said axle and said body; and means for drawing said body towards said axle on one side thereof and forcing said body away from said axle on the other side thereof by simultaneously moving one ofsaid levers in one direction and the other of said levers in the opposite direction.

6. In a vehicle, the combination of: a body adapted to support a load by presenting a surface upon which the load may be placed; an axle adapted to support a portion of said body by extending under said body; two springs, one on one side of said body and the other on the other side of said body, said springs being each adapted to provide a resilient support for said load by providing resilient connection between said body and said axle; a pair of levers situated on opposite sides of the center of the body and adapted to act with or against said springs by exerting a force between said axle and said body; a flexible cable attached to said levers and adapted to force one side of said body away from said axle and simultaneously draw the other side of said body towards said axle by actuating said levers; a sheave through which said cable passes, said sheave being adapted to exert force on said levers by pulling on said cable; and an actuating means for said sheave, said actuating means being controlled by an operator and adapted to exert force on said cable by changing the position of said sheave. I

WILLIAM H. HEISE. 

